Show-case.



C. H. SOUGEK & P. E. USTYNIK.

SHOW CASE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21,1909. I 95 1 ,34:4s Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

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C. IL SOUCEK & F. E. USTYNIK. SHOW CASE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21,1909.

95 1 ,344, Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

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- APPLIOATION FILED JUNI; 21,1909. 951,344.

WVM/wana UNTTED STATES PATENT FFTQE.

CHARLES H. SOUCEK AND FRANK E. USTYNIK, OF PIERCE, TEXAS.

SHOW-CASE.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES H. SoUoni; and F RAM; E. STYNIK, citizens of the United States, residing at Pierce, in the county of Wharton and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Show-Cases; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in' the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in show cases.

One object of the invention is to provide a show case adapted to open at the front and top whereby the goods displayed therein are made accessible to the purchaser to permit him to inspect the same and make his own selection thereby obviating the liability of injuring the goods or replacing the same in the wrong boxes, as frequently occurs when the goods are taken out and put back into the case for the inspection of the prospective purchaser, and also saving the time and labor required in removing and replacing the goods.

Another object of the invention is to provide a show case of this character which will be simple, strong and durable in construction, having an efficient and reliable and practicable operating mechanism whereby the top and front panels of the case may be readily opened or closed from the rear.

Another object is to provide a case of this character which may be readily knocked down and the parts closely packed or stored for shipping.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying` drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a double or two-section show case constructed in `accordance with the invention and showing one section of the case open and the other closed; Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, showing the parts in closed position; Fig. t is a similar view showing the parts in open position; Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 8; Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Application lecl .Tune 21, 1909.

atented Mar. 8, 1910.

Serial No. 503,477.

view through one of the outer corners of the case; Fig. 8 is a similar view of a modied construction of the parts shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view through the adjoining front corners of the two sections of the case; Fig. 10 is a detail side view of one of the adjustable push bars for the movable panels of the case.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l denotes the case which may consist of one or a number of counterpart sections, the same being shown in the drawings as being formed of two sections joined together in the manner hereinafter described. The sections of the case may each be provided with a separate base 2, as shown, or a single base may be provided to form a support for two or more sections.

Each of the sections of the case comprises stationary side panels 3 and said panels may be divided, by vertical and horizontal parting strips et and 5, into any desired number of frames to receive the panes of glass which are held therein in any suitable manner. The sections of the case are provided on their front side with lower stationary panels G and upper movable panels 7. The upper portion of the rear side of the sections is closed by slidably mounted doors 8 which are mounted on suitable guide ways, as shown. The lower portion of the rear side of the sect-ions is preferably closed by hinged doors 9 which are held in closed position by suitable turnbuttons l0.

The sections of the case are divided into upper and lower compartments by a transversely disposed shelf or partition l1 and the lower compartment is provided with a floor or bottom l2. The top of each section is closed by a stationary panel 13 and a movable panel let both of which are preferably glazed. The lower panels 6 of the front side of the sections are spaced a suitable distance along their side and upper edges from the adjacent edges of the side frames and shelf .l1 to provide a space to receive the upper movable panel 7 of the front side of the sections when said panel is lowered to an open position. The ends of the lower stationary panels 6 are held in spaced relation from the adjacent edges of the side panels by suitable spacing plates l5, said plates being provided with right-angularly bent outer edges which are screwed or otherwise suitably secured to the inner side of the ends of the lower panels 6 while the opposite edges of the plates are lli) similarly secured to the outer sides of the :liront bars et the side panels, as described.

The plates 15 have their outer portions bent outwardly or ott-set to a slight degree 'from the portion which engages the side panels, as shown at 1G, thereby preventing the ends ot the upper movable panels ot the sections from binding against the inner sides ot the plates. Secured to the inner surface ot the end pieces ot lthe upper movable panels 7 are right angular guide plates 17 which en gage the inner surface ot the trent end bars ot the side panels, as shown in Fig. 7 ot the drawings, and in the plates 1T adjacent to their outer edges is pivotally mounted one or more guide rollers 18 which are preferably provided with V-shaped bearing edges which are adapted to fit and to travel in similarly shaped grooves 19 formed in the inner coges ot the outer end bars ot the side panels.

ln addition to the rollersI 18 there is also preferably provided additional guide rollers 20 which are arranged in suitable recesses or grooves 21. formed in the inner side of the end bars of the movable panels 7 and said rollers are revolubly mounted on suitable bearing screws 22 which are arranged in the end bars ot the panels. rllhe rollers 20 are adapted to bear against the outer edge ot the front end bars of the side panels 3, as is clearly shown in Fig. 7 ot the drawings. By means ot the rollers 18 and 20, the ends ot' the movable panels are held in position and have a free sliding or anti frictional engagement with the 'liront end bars ot the side panels. The V-shaped edges ot the rollers 18 which engage the V-shaped grooves in the end bars ot' the side panels prevents any possible lateral or endwise movement ot` the trent movable panels 7.

ln Figs. S and of the drawings, is shown a inodii'ied construction ot sliding engagement between the movable panels 7 and the outer ends of the side panels ln the torni shown in Fig. S, the ends of the movable panels 7 have secured to their inner sides guide plates 23, one edge ot each ot which is bentat right angles in one direction to torni panel attaching members 2l, while the opposite edges of the plates are bent at right angles in the opposite direction to term guide flanges which are adapted to engage the inner edges oit the end bars o' the side panels whereby said upper movable front panels are slidably held in engagement with the ends ot' the side panels.

ln Fig. 9 ot the drawings, is shown a sectional view through the adjacent trent end bars ot the inner side panels ot the sections. The adjacent side panels oit the two sections ot the case, when brought together to form a double case, are spaced a suitable distance apart by a spacinp` strip 26 and said side panels of the sections are preferably secured together by suitable screws or bolts 2T which are inserted through the inner portions ot the bars torming the trame of the side panels and through the spacing strip 2t, as shown in Fig. t).

The stationary top panels ol the sections ot. the case are secured to the upper bars ot the end panels by spacing plates 28 which are constructed and arranged in the same main'ier as the plates 15 to provide a space between said stationaryT top panels and the upper edges oit the side panels to receive the movable panels .ly-l when the latter are drawn. back to open the case. The movable panels 1st are provided with guide plates 2S) which engage Athe upper bars ot the side panels ot the sections and may be provided with upper and lower guide rollers 3G and 31 arranged in the saine manner as the rollers 18 and Qt) ot the trout movable panels 7, or said upper movable panels may be provided simply with the angularly bent guide plates. as shown in Figs. S and S) ot the drawings.

ln order to open or closel the top and front movable panels ot the sections, we preter-` a1 ly provide a suitable operating mechanism comprising bell-crank operating levers 32 which are pivotally mounted on the inner sides ot the vertical. parting strips of the side panels of the sections adjacent to the underside ot' the partition or shelt 11, and the upper meinl er of the levers projects up wardly through suitable slots or notches 33 termed in the ends ot the partition and are pivotally connected at their upper ends to push bars S-it, which are pivotally connected at their outer ends to the guide plates Q9 ot the upper movable panels otf the sections whereby said panels are moved to an open or closed position. The push bars 3l are preferably formed in adjustable sections, the inner sections to which the upper ends oi the bell crank levers are connected, being in the torni ot bolts which have screw threaded engagement with right angularly 'formed lug;l Bti on the inner ends ot the outer sections ot the bars whereby the bars may be lengthened or shortened to compen sate tor the wear or sagging ot the parts, so that the panels may always he brought to the proper position. The inner ends ot'- the holt are j irc'lierahly provided with biturcated heads 37 in which are pivotally se cured the upper ends ot the bell crank levers. On each of the bolts is arranged a jam nut 88 which, when the bolts are in proper adjusted position, are screwed into tight engagement with the lug Sti, thus securing the bolt.

llivotally connected at their upper ends to the guide plates 1T or 2?; ot the trout movable panels ot the sections are push bars 39 which are constructed in the same manner the push bars ist and are pivotally connected at their lower ends to operating levers 40, the rear ends et which are Cil pivotally secured to the rear end bars of the side panels, as shown. The levers #l0 are operatively connected to the shory arms of the bell crank levers by links il whereby, when said bell crank levers are actuated to open or close the upper panel, said levers will be simultaneously operated to open or close the front movable panels ot' the sections of the case, thus providing for the simultaneous movement of said panels.

To the short arms of the bell crank levers are connected one. end of coiled springs the opposite ends of which are connected to fixed portions of the end of the side panels whereby the tension of said springs is exerted to assist in the closing of the movable panels and to connterbalance the weight of the same, so that they may be opened to any desired extent and will remain in the position to which they are moved. rlhe short ends of the bell crank levers at each side of the sections of the case are connected together by an operating bar -lil to which, midway between its ends, is secured a handle 4 which works through a slot 4:5 in the rear side of the sections between the lower hinged doors 9. @n the handle. is preferab y arranged a spring projected latch which, when the handle is raised to bring the movable panels to a closed position, is adapted to be engaged with a catch LG whereby said movable panels are secured in closed position. Then it is desired to open the movable panels of the section, it is simply necessary to t epress the latch 5() thus disengaging the saine from catch 46, after which the handle is moved downwardly thereby opening' the panels to the desired extent, in which position, they will be held by the counterbalancing spr-..gs l2 hereinbefore described.

The bottom or floor of the sections and the partition or shelf ll are preferably provided atI their outer ends with supporting plates e? which are adapted to engage and rest on the cross parting strips 5 of the side panels of the sections and said plates 47 have their outer ends apertured to receive fastening screws whereby they are detachably secured to the said parting strips 5 and may be readily disconnected therefrom to permit the removal of the bottom and partition or shelf of the sections, after which the screws holding the spacing plates of the stationary front and top panels of the sections are removed and the ends of the push bars disengaged from the ends of their operating levers, thus permitting the stationary and movable panels of the top and front of the sections to be removed together, said sections being also slipped together when removed. The side panels are preferably secured at their inner corners to the the panels by corner brackets 48 which are screwed to said panels and may be readily disconnected therefrom to facilitate the separation of these parts or panels of the case, when the latter is knocked down for storing or shipping. By connecting the various parts of the case together in the manner described, said parts may all be readily separated or disconnected and closely packed together.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

l. In a show case of the character described, stationary front, top and side panels, means to detachably secure said panels together to provide guide spaces, movable top and front panels slidably mounted on said end panels and adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with said guide spaces to open and close the front and top of the case, doors arranged in the rear side of the case, an operating mechanism arranged wit-hin the case and connected to said movable panels, counterbalancing springs connected to said operating mechanism, and a handle connected to said mechanism and projecting through the rear of the case whereby said operating mechanism is actuated to simultaneously open and close said top and front movable panels.

2. In a show case of the character described, stationary side panels, al stationary front panel arranged over the lower portion of the front of the case, stationary top panel arranged over the rear portion of the case, guide strips secured to said stationary top and front panels and removably secured to the outer sides of said side panels, movable front and top panels, slidably engaged with said guide strips and adapted to be moved between the stationary front and top panels and the adjacent outer edges of said side panels, guide plates secured to said movable panels and adapted to slidably engage the front and top bars of said side panels, whereby said movable panels are held in sliding engagement therewith, and means whereby said movable panels are simultaneously opened and closed from the rear side of the case.

3. in a show case of the character described, stationary side panels, a stationary front panel arranged over the lower porlower and rear bars of the front and rear tion of the front of the case, a stationary llO top panel arranged over the rear portion of the case, guide strips secured to said stationary top and front panels and removably secured to the out-e1 sides of said side panels, movable 'ront and top panels slidably engaged with said guide strips and adapted to be moved between the stationary front and top panels and the adjacent. outer edges of said side panels, guide plates secured to said movable panels and adapted to slidably engage the front and top bars of said side panels, guide rollers revolubly mounted on said plates and adapted to engage the inner edges ot the front and top bars of said side panels, said rollers having V-shaped edges adapted to engage similarly shaped grooves in the edges ot' said bars, guide rollers revow lubly mounted in the inner sides of the ends of said movable panels and adapted to engage the outer edges of said front and top bars of the side panels, whereby said movable panels are held in sliding engagement with said side panels, and means whereby said front and top panels are simultaneously moved to an open and closed position from the rear of the case.

Il. In a show case, stationary side panels, stationary front and top panels secured to said side panels, movable front and top panels slidably mounted between said stationary front and top panels and the adjacent edges of said side panels, guide plates secured to said movable front and top panels and slidably engaged with the front and top bars of said side panels, push bars pivotally connected at their outer ends to said guide plates, pivotally mounted bellcranlr levers operatively connected to the inner ends of the push bars ott said movable front panels, pivotally mounted operating levers connected at one end to the inner ends ot the push bars of said movable front panels, links to connect said operating levers with the short arms of said bell crank levers, whereby said movable panels are simultaneously opened or closed, counter-balancing springs connected to said bell-crank levers, an operating bar to connect the short ends of said bell-crank levers, a handle arranged en said operating bar and projecting through the rear of the case, a latch arranged on said handlev` and a catch adapted to receive said latch whereby the operating mechanism is secured to hold said movable panels in closed position.

5. ln a show case, stationary side panels, stationary front and top panels secured to said side panels, movable front and top panels slidably mounted between said stationary front and top panels and the adjacent edges of said side panels, guide plates secured to said movable front and top panels and slidably engaged with the front and top bars of said side panels, push bars pivotally connected at their outer ends to said guide plates, said push bars being formed in adjustably connected sections whereby the movement of the movable panels is regulated to bring the same to a proper position when closed, an operating mechanism connected to said push bars whereby said mov able panels are simultaneously opened or closed, and a handle connected to said oper ating mechanism and project-ing through the rear oi' the case, whereby said panels are operated from the rear.

(i. A show case formed of a plurality of sections, each ol| which comprises stationary side panels, stationary top and front panels, movable top and front panels, means to operate said movable panels from the rear of the case, whereby access is provided Jfrom the front side, a spacing strip arranged between said sections, a shelf or partition arranged in the sections to divide the same into upper and lower compartments, a lioor arranged in said lower compartment, slidable doors arranged in the rear of the upper compartment, hinged doors arranged in the rear of the lower compartment, a supporting` base arranged beneath said section, and means to detachably secure said stationary panels of the sections together and said partition and bottom to said panels, whereby the parts may be readily separated and closely packed together.

ln testimony ,whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. SOUCEK. FRANK E. USTYNIK. Witnesses R. M. BnowN, R. B. POINTER. 

